What to pack for university

If you are reading this, you have either decided to go to university, or you are seriously considering it!

When I found out I had a place at BU to study BA (Hons) Sociology, one of my first thoughts was about all the things I would need to get and pack for university, and those extra items that I would like to bring.

This blog outlines what I found I needed to pack when going to university, and also highlights some items that you can buy once you arrive in Bournemouth.

Your bedroom

When considering what to pack, my first thought went to my bedroom. I really wanted to create a comfy, homely and relaxing place that I could retreat to when I needed some time, but also with all the important basics.

I first thought about bedding and bought myself a duvet and a set of two pillows. I made sure to get ones that I liked so I could be as comfortable as possible. I then additionally bought myself two sets of bedding (duvet cover + two pillowcases) and two under-sheets to put onto the mattress.

I found it extremely useful to bring two duvet covers as I always had one to use whilst the other was in the wash.

Next, I thought about the extra comfort items that would help me relax and make my room feel a bit more like home. I decided to print out and pack some pictures of my home friends and family to put on the pinboard in my room. It was a great icebreaker to show my housemates my photos as it let them know a little more about me!

Uni bedroom

Some people also bought plants for their room. I found that it was best to buy these when I arrived in the first few weeks of university. This was because it was a fun activity to do with my new friends, and plants can also be quite hard to transport, especially if coming on a train! The university also had a plant sale on Talbot Campus which was an ideal opportunity.

Wardrobe

Now, I was tempted to bring ALL my clothes, but realised very quickly that they would not all fit in my university room, and this will also be the case if you are needing to pack everything into suitcases! I decided to look at the clothes I had at home, and only bring the ones that I wore the most and are comfortable. It is important to consider that you will need warm clothes for autumn and winter and colder clothes for spring, and particularly summer.

For winter I packed things like jumpers, long-sleeved tops, jeans and some leggings. When it started getting colder, I went to the local Asda and bought myself some cheap gloves. For the warmer months I bought short-sleeved tops, skirts and shorts, and a swimming costume for the beach!

Sometimes when socialising with friends it was really useful to have some fancy-dress items to go out in. I bought these when I was at university, however if you have any favourites, you already have you can bring them. I decided to get things that I could add onto outfits I already had, like belts, cat ears and fairy wings!

Bathroom

When I packed for the bathroom, I chose to only bring the items I would need for the first day or two to save space. This included a bar of soap, toothbrush and toothpaste, facewash, shampoo and conditioner. Towels were also important, so I packed two bath towels and a hand towel. I found that I ordered online or popped down to town or Asda for the items that were more optional.

I also bought cleaning supplies when I arrived. You could if you like buy yourself a bath matt for when you get out of the shower, but most of the bathrooms are not big so choose wisely!

Kitchen

Uni kitchen and shared space

There are a few items people stereotypically forget to bring for instance a potato masher, scissors, grater, tin opener, bottle opener, ladle. However, these can all be bought in Asda I found it best to arrive and see what my housemates had and if they were happy to share them.

University lectures

Finally, I decided to think about what I needed to pack for my university lecturers. I packed my laptop to take notes in lectures and seminars, but also so I could do my assignment work away from campus. I also bought myself a nice notepad and a few pens. To carry these things to university I also packed a nice tote bag that was strong enough to hold everything!

Talbot Campus

Some courses may have guidance on additional items you need to pack, but in the case of my degree, there was only an online reading list to take a look at before starting.

I hope this blog is a good start in thinking about what to pack for university! If you have any questions you can chat to a current student here.

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